There has been increasing evidence supporting active learning in the classroom and abandoning the “sage on the stage” approach to medical education. In this special article, the author describes what active learning is and how to plan to incorporate it into your curriculum as well as develop strategies for assessment.

Diversity and Inclusion: Addressing Underrepresentation of Students with Disabilities in Health Care Education

This Academic Law feature article discusses the importance of breaking down barriers for students with disabilities and how we, as educators, can foster an inclusive environment within our programs.

Physician Assistant Educator Competencies

One of the continuing concerns of PAs moving into academia is formal faculty development for progress and promotion. Many of us have never had any formal direction in how to become better educators. This special article describes the process of a PAEA taskforce charged with developing nine core competencies for PA educators.

Is Student Stress Related to Personality or Learning Environment in a Physician Assistant Program?

We all know that PA school is stressful for students with many different variables contributing to that stress. The authors of this research article explore whether intrinsic student personalities or the type of learning environment have a greater effect on student stress.

Effectiveness of a Brief Course in Bedside Ultrasound for Physician Assistant Students

Bedside ultrasound is quickly becoming a standard of patient assessment in the clinical environment with many programs incorporating this modality into the formal education of PA students. In this Technology and Education feature article, the authors report on the effectiveness of a course for second-year PA students in bedside ultrasound on obtaining images and interpreting images.

This is just a sampling of what you’ll find in the March 2019 edition of JPAE. If you want to stay informed and connected, make sure you check out these articles and many others in the newest issue of JPAE. Also, follow us on our social media platforms, including the #JPAE hashtag for our article posts.

Kristopher Maday, MS, PA-C

Kris is an associate professor and program director for the University of Tennessee Health Science Center PA Program in Memphis, TN. He serves on the JPAE Editorial Advisory Board and as a member of the PAEA Exam Development Board for Emergency Medicine and General Surgery.

About PAEA®

The Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) is the only national organization representing PA educational programs. PAEA works to ensure quality PA education through the development and distribution of educational services and products specifically geared toward meeting the emerging needs of PA programs, the PA profession, and the health care industry.